Laundry sling bag

ABSTRACT

A laundry sling bag having two straps to receive a power liftoff conveyor and the bag being tapered from a large top opening to a smaller but contoured bottom opening and having adjacent bottom flaps formed from one bag half to close the open bottom and overlap with a relieved opposite bag half, whereupon quick release of the flaps is effective to dump the articles of laundry therein without binding or jamming and into a small loading opening in an underlying washer.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,850,367 Fortriede Nov. 26, 1974 LAUNDRY SLING BAG 1,270,354 2/1312 \I2 0Odl'UIIl1..... 158/2 1,994,362 t l5 2 [75] lnvenm chflrles Fmmedel Hlghland 2,276,087 3/1942 150/2 fielghts, y- 2,904,183 9/1959 M11161 294/76 x 3,369,584 2/1968 Faccio et al. 150/3 [73] Asslgnee. mccraw Company Elgm 3,383,721 5/1968 Adams 294/76 x 3,562,998 2/1971 Edwards 294/76 [22] Filed: Feb. 9, 1973 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam [2]] Appl' 331323 Assistant Examiner-David H. Corbin Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of SerUNo. 165,989, July 26. 1971, Pat. No. [57] ABSTRACT A laundry slmg bag havlng two straps to rece1ve a [52] U 8 Cl 232/1 B 232/43 4 232/43 5 power liftoff conveyor and the bag being tapered from 151] 1n .'c1.'.IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 13251 29/60 a large lop Openlllg lo a smaller but llollom [58] Field of Search 232/1- 229/62 57- 150/2 openmg and havng adlacem bmom flaps formed ISO/3 7 214/15 307 f from one bag half to close the open bottom and overlap with a relieved opposite bag half, whereupon quick [56] References Cited release of the flaps is effective to dump the articles of laundry therein without binding or jamming and into a UNITED STATES PATENTS small loading opening in an underlying washer. 960,809 6/1910 Burch 150/2 1,121,145 12/1914 Stafford et al. 150 2 UX 7 ClalmS, 5 Drawing Flgllres LAUNDRY SLING BAG This is a divisional application of my copending application filed July 26, 1971, and having Ser. No. 165,989, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,122, and entitled Laundry Sling Bag and Cart Therefor.

In industrial or institutional laundries, it is common to segregate the dirty or soiled articles or goods in sling bags according to the specific types of article or color. For example, different type hospital goods might include uniforms, operating garments, patient garments, bed sheets, etc., where all like goods would be sorted into separate sling bags each of sufficient size to hold maybe 100 pounds of goods. The bags with like goods then can be accumulated and as required dumped into large industrial washers of maybe 400 pound capacity for laundering. By having all like type goods together, the proper washing temperature or washing solution can be used.

This invention relates to a sling bag construction.

An object of the invention is to provide a bag arrangement where the bag has two upper straps which can be hooked onto a moving conveyor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tubular bag that has a downwardly converging taper to the bottom tube line, where closure flaps are formed on one bag half to extend well below this tube line and across the open bag bottom and overlap with the other bag half which is relieved or cut away to well above this tube line and be secured in place by a quick release clasp. This provides that goods in the bag are readily discharged from the bottom when opened with little tendency to bind inside the bag, and the bag flaps further fit within the loading opening of typical industrial washers for accurate goods discharge with little spill over onto the floor.

These and other objects of this invention will be more fully understood and appreciated after reviewing the following specification, the accompanying drawing being a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the cart with the sling bag shown in phantom supported thereon, and further showing a moving conveyor hook and the cart retaining lug and block in place;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cart and bag combination shown in FIG. 1, with part of the structure being broken away for clarity of disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of part of the cart and the bag combination of FIG. 1, again with part of the structure being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the bag shown in FIGS. l-3, except as it is lying on a flat surface and in the open condition; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally from line 5 5 in FIG. 4, except with the bag in the closed condition.

The invention is disclosed in its basic concept in FIG. 1 where a cart having structural frame 12 supported on casters I4 is designed to hold a bag 16 so that the top 18 is open square and can be easily loaded. To accomodate this, the bag 16 has rings or eyelets 20 which fit over four upstanding tabs 22 and 23 on the frame at the corners of the bag. The bag has two straps 24 each having a loop or eyelet 26 formed at the center thereof so that a hook 28 of an overhead conveyor 30 can be brought into registry over the bag and cart combination to allow the strap eyelets 26 to be engaged on the conveyor hook 28. Moreover, a tongue 32is adapted to overlie the frame 12 to hold the cart 10 against the supporting floor and blocks 34 can also be located in front of the casters so that the conveyor can move vertically and forwardly relative to the cart to lift the bag from the frame tabs 22 and 23 with the cart moving. To accomodate the bag removal, the frame 12 has an open front and top, as it is noted in-FIGS. l, 2, and 3.

In a broad context, this invention would be most aptly applied for soiled goods before laundering where at a sorting table or the like an operator can selectively sort the soiled laundry into selective bags each supported on a cart. The bag size is designed when loaded to hold a given poundage of laundry, for example 100 pounds, so that by operator experience and with little extra manipulation the proper bag weight can be approximated. An industrial washer having, for example, a 400 pound capacity could be loaded then with four filled bags.

Thus, the operator would deposit selected articles of laundry into the open top 18 of a bag 16 supported on the cart 10. When the appropriate bag load has been achieved, the cart would be wheeled from the sorting area over to a bag power takeoff area under a conveyor 30. The cart 10 here is locked in place by means of the tongue 32 and the blocks 34 relative to the floor, and the conveyor hook 28 is brought into registry over the bag where the two opposing bag straps 24 are engaged onto the hook. Eyelets 26 prevent shifting of the bag relative to the hook. After hooking the bag onto the conveyor hook, the operator merely actuates the conveyor to cause it to move in an upward and forward direction (as indicated at 36 in FIG. 1) relative to the secured cart so that the bag eyelets 20 lift off the cart tabs '22 and the bag 23 and is then solely suspended on the conveyor.

Referring now to some specific structural details, the bag 16 is formed from a canvas or nylon material as basically a tubular configuration. The upper tube and hem line 68 are exactly the same, and the eyelets 20 are secured at this line approximately by webs or the like sewn to the bag as might be typical in the art. The two straps 22 are likewise secured at adjacent bag corners adjacent the eyelets, and the strap material preferably would extend along part of the bag corner as reinforcing vertical strips 70 sewn to the tube. As noted, the straps preferably have a centered eyelet 26 therein as by sewing adjacent parts of the strap together, which permits the use of only two straps on a single conveyor overhead conveyor hook while yet stabily supporting the bag in the vertical orientation.

Although the bag'material is basically tubular in nature it does have a taper from its upper tube and hem line 68 to a slightly narrower tube line 72. This taper might be equivalent to where, for example, a 100 inch perimeter exists at top line 68 and an inch perimeter exists at bottom line 72 and where the separation of these lines or tube height might be 50 inches. This decreasing taper towards the bottom of the bag permits a wide opening for loading at the top and a narrower discharge chute like opening at the bottom which would more readily fit into or relative to the loading opening of an industrial washer. The bag can be easily dumped with little tendency of binding or jaming of the goods therein because of the specific closure flaps to be disclosed now.

The actual bottom or hem line 74 of the bag or tube is irregular, with approximately one circumferential half 75 being above or shorter than lower tube line 72 and the opposite approximate circumferential half 76 being below or longer than this tube line. As noted, the four bag corners above strips 70 are supported in a generally square open configuration by the four cart tabs, and each panel below and between these strips is approximately one fourth of the tube perimeter.

The shorter or relieved circumferential tube half 75 hem line converges upwardly as at 73 from the lower tube line 72 until approximately one-third of the way across the quarter panel, it then parallels the tube line as at 77 for approximately another one-third way across the quarter panel, and lastly converges upwardly as at 78 to meet with the adjacent quarter panel hem line at a rounded cutout or slit 79 generally across one bag corner. The total height of the cutout 79 above the tube line 72 might be, for example, a full panel width or one-fourth of the tube perimeter at the lower tube line 72.

The longer or extended circumferential tube half converges downwardly away from the tube line 72 as at 81 to a rounded corner 82 approximately one-half way across the quarter panel and then reverses itself to converge upwardly as at 83 to again meet the adjacent quarter panel hem line at a rounded corner 84 generally across the diagonally opposite bag corner. The longer circumferential bag half is used as two closure flaps which are adapted to cross and close the bottom opening of the tube and to overlap the opposite lower portion of the relieved circumferential tube half. The distance, for example, thereby between the rounded corner 82 of each flap and the generally parallel relief area 77 on the adjacent panel is approximately the width of two quarter panels at the lower tube line 72.

To secure the closure flaps in the bag closed position there is provided a quick release device shown in FIG. 5. In this arrangement, a bracket 86 is secured to the lower end of one reinforcing strip 70 approximately one panel width above the lower tube edge 79 and this bracket 86 has an opening 87 which opens downwardly toward the bag bottom. One rounded flap corner has a buckle 88 while the adjacent rounded flap corner has a stem 89 with an end opening 90. The stem 89 is fitted through the buckle 88 to secure the flaps together and the stem 89 is then fitted through the bracket opening 87 too locate the lapped flaps across to thereby close the bag tube. A catch 92 pivoted at 93 from the bracket 86 has a protruding end 94 that fits through the stem opening 90 to preclude separation of the stem from the bracket. A rope or line 95 attached to the catch 92 is used for manually shifting the catch to release the flaps when such is required.

When the bag is closed and the goods are loaded into the bag, they are supported on the crossed closure flaps. Consequently, when the crossed flaps are released, the unsupported load drops vertically and can also shift horizontally toward the unfolding relieved tube half. This capacity for the load to shift horizontally allows easy dumping without jamming. The downwardly converging tapered bag walls provide a large top opening for easy loading while yet give a small enough bottom opening to fit within the opening of the washer. This minimizes any spilling out of the load onto the floor. The uncurled flaps on one tube half further 4 tend to guide the released load into the washer opening.

. lclaim:

l. A sling bag, comprising a tubular form of fabric having parallel top and bottom tube lines, means secured to the tubular form adjacent the top tube line suited for suspending the bag, the lower edge of the tubular form having an irregular hem line where approximately half of the hem line is shorter than or above the bottom tube line and where the approximate other half of the hem line is longer than or below the bottom tube line, the shorter hem line side of the bag being smoothly contoured from the bottom tube line at both sides of the bag half to a single maximum relieved portion generally centered between the sides and the longer hem line side of the bag being smoothly contoured from the bottom tube line at both sides of the bag half across two defined closure flaps each located generally one-fourth the way in to a relieved center portion shorter than the flaps, said closure flaps being defined to cross the open tube bottom and be secured relative to the bag at the shorter hem line side to close the bag, and quick release means including] catch means on the ends of the two defined closure flaps for releasably holding the flaps closed.

2. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the means for suspending the bag includes a pair of straps each connected to the bag adjacent the top tube line and each having a center loop therein suited to be engaged on a hook or the like.

3. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the shorter hem line side of the bag extends above the lower tube line a distance approximately equal to one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter, and the longer hem line side of the bag extends below the lower tube line in excess of one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter but less than one-half of the lower tube line perimeter.

4. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the tubular form tapers in a downwardly converging manner from the upper tube line to the lower tube line at a rate of approximately /4 inch smaller perimeter for every one inch of axial separation of upper and lower tube lines.

5. The bag combination according to claim 3, wherein the quick release means includes a catch secured to the side of the bag at a location approximately in line with the single maximum relief portion in the shorter hem line side and at a distance approximately one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter above said maximum relief portion, and wherein the catch means on the end of each closure flap cooperates with the catch.

6. The bag combination according to claim 5, wherein the means for suspending the bag includes a pair of straps each connected to the bag adjacent to the top tube line and each having a center loop therein suited to be engaged on a hook or the like.

7. The bag combination according to claim 6, wherein the tubular form tapers in a downwardly converging manner fromthe upper tube line to the lower tube line at a rate of approximately A inch smaller perimeter for every 1 inch axial separation of the upper and lower tube lines. 

1. A sling bag, comprising a tubular form of fabric having parallel top and bottom tube lines, means secured to the tubular form adjacent the top tube line suited for suspending the bag, the lower edge of the tubular form having an irregular hem line where approximately half of the hem line is shorter than or above the bottom tube line and where the approximate other half of the hem line is longer than or below the bottom tube line, the Shorter hem line side of the bag being smoothly contoured from the bottom tube line at both sides of the bag half to a single maximum relieved portion generally centered between the sides and the longer hem line side of the bag being smoothly contoured from the bottom tube line at both sides of the bag half across two defined closure flaps each located generally one-fourth the way in to a relieved center portion shorter than the flaps, said closure flaps being defined to cross the open tube bottom and be secured relative to the bag at the shorter hem line side to close the bag, and quick release means including catch means on the ends of the two defined closure flaps for releasably holding the flaps closed.
 2. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the means for suspending the bag includes a pair of straps each connected to the bag adjacent the top tube line and each having a center loop therein suited to be engaged on a hook or the like.
 3. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the shorter hem line side of the bag extends above the lower tube line a distance approximately equal to one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter, and the longer hem line side of the bag extends below the lower tube line in excess of one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter but less than one-half of the lower tube line perimeter.
 4. The bag combination according to claim 1, wherein the tubular form tapers in a downwardly converging manner from the upper tube line to the lower tube line at a rate of approximately 1/4 inch smaller perimeter for every one inch of axial separation of upper and lower tube lines.
 5. The bag combination according to claim 3, wherein the quick release means includes a catch secured to the side of the bag at a location approximately in line with the single maximum relief portion in the shorter hem line side and at a distance approximately one-fourth of the lower tube line perimeter above said maximum relief portion, and wherein the catch means on the end of each closure flap cooperates with the catch.
 6. The bag combination according to claim 5, wherein the means for suspending the bag includes a pair of straps each connected to the bag adjacent to the top tube line and each having a center loop therein suited to be engaged on a hook or the like.
 7. The bag combination according to claim 6, wherein the tubular form tapers in a downwardly converging manner from the upper tube line to the lower tube line at a rate of approximately 1/4 inch smaller perimeter for every 1 inch axial separation of the upper and lower tube lines. 